Webber tastes glory at last as Red Bull outmuscle Brawn
RED BULL’S Mark Webber overcame a drive-through penalty to record a maiden grand prix win at the 130th attempt yesterday in Germany.
Webber was punished for causing a collision with Brawn GP’s Rubens Barrichello at the Nurburgring’s first turn but still led home team-mate Sebastian Vettel in a Red Bull one-two.
Ferrari’s Felipe Massa took third ahead of Nico Rosberg in the Williams, with championship leader Button fifth, in front of his frustrated Brawn GP colleague Barrichello.
World champion Lewis Hamilton’s miserable season continued as a puncture saw him trundle home last, despite starting fifth on the grid.
Webber’s long-awaited success moved him up to third in the drivers’ standings, while second-placed Vettel cut Button’s lead at the top to 21 points.
And with a second consecutive one-two, after Vettel led home Webber at Silverstone last month, Red Bull look to have replaced Brawn GP as the fastest team on the grid.
Australian Webber started on pole for the first time in his eight-year F1 career but was slow off the mark and swerved into Barrichello as he tried to prevent the Brazilian passing him.
That led to a drive-through penalty, but with Barrichello making his first stop simultaneously and the slower Heikki Kovalianen and Massa impeding the pack, Webber was able to emerge in the lead.
The 32-year-old did not look back, while the Brawn pair were hampered by a three-stop strategy and, in Barrichello’s case, a fuel rig problem.
Hamilton tussled with Webber and Barrichello at the first corner, having used his KERS boost off the grid.
But he ran wide and, as he returned to the track in fifth place, saw his rear tyre speared by the front wing of Kimi Raikkonen’s Ferrari.